South Wales 'Metro' updates

[positron]

It's a shame. I liked that bridge!

I fully understand why it's been replaced by the ugly but accessible one, and why they wouldn't want to maintain both.

But it does seem a shame that once an accessible bridge has been built, it seems to be too difficult to make sure the lifts work all the time.

Is it possibly too low for electrification wires? I know Taffs well is currently catenary free but if they did ever want to fill in some of the gaps it makes sense to remove as many obstructions as they can.

 

[AdamWW]

Is it possibly too low for electrification wires? I know Taffs well is currently catenary free but if they did ever want to fill in some of the gaps it makes sense to remove as many obstructions as they can.

I imagine it would have gone anyway - now they've built the new accessable bridge the old one would just be something to have to maintain.

 

[MikePJ]

Wires have gone up on the Bay line (just one set so far) and the new buffer stop has been installed. The wires go all the way to just north of Butetown.

I think the track slew has also gone in, and there were road-rail vehicles on the track in the new platform.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==

The last three photos show Butetown, now with wires. The Tensorex reels are the end of the wired section, and where the junction for the tramline to Callaghan Square will be.

 

[Last Hurrah]

Advisory notice of a Planning Application by Amey Infrastructure Wales has appeared at the entrance to Ty Glas Station to extend the platform

With Class 756/0 trains about to be introduced on the Coryton Line, will the platform extension enable Class 756/1 trains to be used
e.g. unforeseen disruption - all the other stations on the line have lengthy platforms with the exception of Coryton

 

[MikePJ]

Advisory notice of a Planning Application by Amey Infrastructure Wales has appeared at the entrance to Ty Glas Station to extend the platform

With Class 756/0 trains about to be introduced on the Coryton Line, will the platform extension enable Class 756/1 trains to be used
e.g. unforeseen disruption - the other stations on the line have lengthy platforms with the exception of Coryton

Here's a screengrab from the planning drawing:

The extended platform is noted as "65.5m operational platform". A 3-car 756 is 65.0m long, so the four-car version will be too long even with the extended platform.

 

[chargesmith]

Here's a screengrab from the planning drawing:

The extended platform is noted as "65.5m operational platform". A 3-car 756 is 65.0m long, so the four-car version will be too long even with the extended platform.


View attachment 180077

The 756s have quite a lot of space between the outward most doors and the front and rear of the train, so I wonder if this is intended so that the passenger doors are all aligned with the platform but the cabs aren't?

 

[MikePJ]

The 756s have quite a lot of space between the outward most doors and the front and rear of the train, so I wonder if this is intended so that the passenger doors are all aligned with the platform but the cabs aren't?

Oh, that's true! I did work this out a while ago to see if the 3-car units would fit in the same manner without the platform extension. Looking at the Stadler drawing again - yes, the distance between the two outermost doors on the 4-car unit is less than the total length of a three-car unit, so it would technically fit, and there's a bit of a gap between the platform end and the foot crossing so it's possible it could be made to work.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==


Also, on my ride home I took a few more pictures of work in progress on the Bay line. Here we can see continuing groundworks on the second platform at Butetown, and the dramatic changes at Cardiff Bay with the old platform and fence having been demolished.

 

[Dai Corner]

Oh, that's true! I did work this out a while ago to see if the 3-car units would fit in the same manner without the platform extension. Looking at the Stadler drawing again - yes, the distance between the two outermost doors on the 4-car unit is less than the total length of a three-car unit, so it would technically fit, and there's a bit of a gap between the platform end and the foot crossing so it's possible it could be made to work.

How are the 756's going to serve Gilfach Fargoed with its 16m platform? Presumably they are fitted with ASDO (Automatic Selective Door Operation) so why not use that at Ty Glas and save the cost of extending the platform?

 

[MikePJ]

Yes, they do have SDO, but presumably someone decided the platform extension was worth it. The ground was prepared for it as part of the electrification works

 

[Last Hurrah]

MikePJ said :

Oh, that's true! I did work this out a while ago to see if the 3-car units would fit in the same manner without the platform extension. Looking at the Stadler drawing again - yes, the distance between the two outermost doors on the 4-car unit is less than the total length of a three-car unit, so it would technically fit, and there's a bit of a gap between the platform end and the foot crossing so it's possible it could be made to work.


Could a 4 car unit be accommodated at Coryton station ?

 

[AdamWW]

Could a 4 car unit be accommodated at Coryton station ?

Maybe the passenger doors will just fit. If so, it would be very tight.

How are the 756's going to serve Gilfach Fargoed with its 16m platform? Presumably they are fitted with ASDO (Automatic Selective Door Operation) so why not use that at Ty Glas and save the cost of extending the platform?

So far as I know 231s are already service Gilfach Fargoed so presumably a 756 will do the same thing.
Which I believe is for the guard to open one door locally, rather than using SDO.

 

[Adlee Turner]

How are the 756's going to serve Gilfach Fargoed with its 16m platform? Presumably they are fitted with ASDO (Automatic Selective Door Operation) so why not use that at Ty Glas and save the cost of extending the platform?

My guess would be the same method of work for the 756s as it is for the 231s at Gilfach, just local door only.

 

[chargesmith]

With the Bay Line not running this week or last, have there been any 150s running on the lines through Pontypridd? I can only see 756s running today. If so this could be the first time since the units were introduced in the 1980s that there have been no 150s running on the TAM lines during a normal service day.

 

[Cardiff123]

With the Bay Line not running this week or last, have there been any 150s running on the lines through Pontypridd? I can only see 756s running today. If so this could be the first time since the units were introduced in the 1980s that there have been no 150s running on the TAM lines during a normal service day.

It's not the first day, there have been other days in recent months where there have been no 150s on the TAM lines. It seems the 150s have now been shoved onto the Caerphilly - Barry - Bridgend and Penarth - Caerphilly / Coryton routes, which today are almost exclusively 2 car 150s.

Also looking at RTT and the new TfW timetables, from next week it seems that Penarth - Caerphilly services will be calling at all stations again

 

[Envoy]

I was down at Penarth yesterday and note that no second line has been built - are they not doing this?

 

[John R]

I was down at Penarth yesterday and note that no second line has been built - are they not doing this?

It was reported on this thread a few months ago that it had been descoped.

 

[Envoy]

It was reported on this thread a few months ago that it had been descoped.

Many thanks for quick response. Sounds like they will continue to have tight turn arounds at Penarth.

 

[MikePJ]

Many thanks for quick response. Sounds like they will continue to have tight turn arounds at Penarth.

I thought that the second arrival platform was happening but not the dualling through Dingle Road? There was definitely a planning consultation a few months ago about the new platform.

 

[Jantra]

Hi, Funny enough being from Penarth I travelled up to Aberdare to have a look at the new arrivals platform, to find out what to expect in Penarth. The guard made a funny announcement on arrival, saying 'he didn't see the point of it and you can get off here or wait 30 seconds and get off at the next one" Everyone got off at the new platform! and look dissapointed to find how close they were to the old one.
Since I bought a rover ticket I went down to Abercynon and back up to Merthyr. What surprised me yesterday was that every train was either a 231 or a 756, not a old unit to be seen. Walked around Merthyr and checked RTT for my service back and was shocked to find out every train back for the last 90 minutes was cancelled. (error code was something to do with brake failure?) Walked back and shocked to see a 398 at the station with loads of Stadlers Engineers on board. TfW Customer service rep said it had failed (brakes stuck on) and was now blocking the platform. Bus back to Ponty for me!
What surprised me, was TfW tried out a 398 on the first day of the new timetable, could they have not waited a few days and had one day without issues?

 

[Cardiff123]

What surprised me, was TfW tried out a 398 on the first day of the new timetable, could they have not waited a few days and had one day without issues?

There was no significance or change to the timetable on the Valleys yesterday, the big timetable re-cast on the Valleys happened last June. For the average passenger there was no difference to the week before.

 

[Jantra]

There was no significance or change to the timetable on the Valleys yesterday, the big timetable re-cast on the Valleys happened last June. For the average passenger there was no difference to the week before.

Sorry I didn't actually mean a complete new timetable (other than the inclusion of the new Aberdare platform), what I meant was they appeared to be only using only new rolling stock, to coincide with the timetable change over. At least that was my impression as every train was either a 231 or a 756, hence why the test 398 breakdown didn't look good from a customer view point.

 

[AdamWW]

Hi, Funny enough being from Penarth I travelled up to Aberdare to have a look at the new arrivals platform, to find out what to expect in Penarth. The guard made a funny announcement on arrival, saying 'he didn't see the point of it and you can get off here or wait 30 seconds and get off at the next one" Everyone got off at the new platform! and look dissapointed to find how close they were to the old one.

Perhaps it will be more useful with the planned 4 trains per hour?

 

[Envoy]

The extra platform at Aberdare will also act as a passing loop in the future when the line is extended to Hirwaun.

 

[Daniel Boone]

Just an update for people not frequenting the Rhymney line. The old waiting shelter on Llanisien's south bound platform has been demolished and replaced by a new modern shelter.

 

[Iddybiddy05]

The extra platform at Aberdare will also act as a passing loop in the future when the line is extended to Hirwaun.

IF…,it’s a very big if as well.

 

[Pat Figg]

I got off at the new Aberdare arrivals platform today and couldn't find a PAYG reader, so ended up having to walk to the main platform anyway! Perhaps I somehow managed to miss it but I'm unlikely to get off there again until I know one exists.

 

[positron]

The guard is right that there's not much point in it being used yet, but with 4tph I suspect the passing loop will end up being a requirement not even just a nice to have, so the extra drop off platform will allow people to get off earlier without waiting for platform availability.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2025 ==

I was down at Penarth yesterday and note that no second line has been built - are they not doing this?

That section is entirely within network rails remit so it's possible they're just taking their sweet time with it all. I suspect TfW would have preferred it be done by now. Unless of course plans have changed behind the scenes and they've decided they don't need it but I can't see how. The turnarounds are far too tight.

Iirc some of the Rhymney infrastructure changes aren't expected to go live until quite late on and I think Penarth was expected to be on a similar time scale.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2025 ==

I got off at the new Aberdare arrivals platform today and couldn't find a PAYG reader, so ended up having to walk to the main platform anyway! Perhaps I somehow managed to miss it but I'm unlikely to get off there again until I know one exists.

Per https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/aberdare-line-transformation they've not installed one yet, which is ludicrous! Why open the platform when it's 2tph so there's no need AND it's not even finished!

We’re working to install a pay as you go card validator at the new platform. As this isn’t quite ready yet, we’d encourage passengers who need to tap out at the end of their journey to get off at Platform 1 (the original station platform)

 

[Pat Figg]

I got off at the new Aberdare arrivals platform today and couldn't find a PAYG reader, so ended up having to walk to the main platform anyway! Perhaps I somehow managed to miss it but I'm unlikely to get off there again until I know one exists.

Per https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/aberdare-line-transformation they've not installed one yet, which is ludicrous! Why open the platform when it's 2tph so there's no need AND it's not even finished!

We’re working to install a pay as you go card validator at the new platform. As this isn’t quite ready yet, we’d encourage passengers who need to tap out at the end of their journey to get off at Platform 1 (the original station platform)

Thanks for that. I hadn't spotted that on the website. At least I know not to get off there again until they've installed one.

 

[AdamWW]

Per https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/aberdare-line-transformation they've not installed one yet, which is ludicrous! Why open the platform when it's 2tph so there's no need AND it's not even finished!

Yet another decision by TfW that on the face of it seems rather odd. But there's probably a good reason for it.

 

[Jantra]

I heard the new automated announcement for the Aberdare bound Train at CDF today.
It list all the stations it calls at and says Aberdare twice at the end, which sounds a bit bizarre.
Surely this isn't needed or do they just take the station listings from a database?